Six world premiere films and a showcase of paintings by Viggo Mortensen are among the highlights of the inaugural AMFM Fest, a mix of film, music and art that will occur in California's Coachella Valley this June 13-16.

Six world premiere films and a showcase of paintings by Viggo Mortensen are among the highlights of the inaugural AMFM Fest, a mix of film, music and art that will occur in California's Coachella Valley this June 13-16.

Full program via the press release below.

Cathedral “Cat,” City CA, May 22, 2013 – Veteran festival producers Film 4 Change are poised to launch the latest art, music and film event in the Coachella Valley, the inaugural AMFM Fest, running from June 13 -16, 2013 at the UltraStar Mary Pickford Theater, the Cathedral City Town Square and other select desert venues, Festival Co-Directors Rich Henrich and Robert Galarza announced this week. Henrich and Galarza have also added rock group and now AMFM headliner GRAM RABBIT to the extensive programming slate.

The AMFM: art, music, film and more Festival is a creation of Film 4 Change, whose mission is to bring communities together through the power of story and the art of laughter while showcasing the best emerging talent and thought leaders in art, music, film, photography and comedy.

“The inaugural AMFM festival is a celebration of film, music, visual arts, fashion and all of those creative voices who push the boundaries of their medium and who invoke change in society,” said Galarza who, with Henrich, presented the Albuquerque Film Festival from 2009-2012 http://www.abqfilmfestival.com. “We encourage and support independent filmmakers, artists and musicians from around the world, and bringing the Coachella Valley a dazzling array of both feature and short films, innovative, intimate musical showcases, and terrific live comedy.”

“This year we will be screening over fifty films at the Mary Pickford Theater and Desert IMAX in beautiful downtown Cathedral City,” Henrich continues. “Additionally, the Cathedral City Town Square will be alive with music, beverages, food vendors and art from Santa Fe, NM to the LA Basin.”

Galarza and Henrich announced the nearly complete lineup of programming today; highlights include:

ART:Award-winning Santa Fe-based artist and photographer Scott Christopher that includes a never before seen photograph of Michael Jackson.

Photography by Robert Zuckerman, whose fans and collectors include Will Smith; Jerry Bruckheimer, Denzel Washington. Michael Bay, and Arnold Schwarzenegger who introduced him to President Bill Clinton by saying, “This is Robert Zuckerman, the best photographer I have ever worked with.”

Paintings by actor, poet, writer and artist Viggo Mortensen

Photography by Craig Semetko, whose work led to the opening of a gallery in Washington D.C. by Leica for his work “Craig Semetko: Unposed.”

Activist photographer and social justice advocate Nicol Ragland, who has done work for the Global Service Corps of Tanzania, the Millennium Village of Rwanda, Global Green, IFAW, The Cine Institute of Haiti and World Neighbors.

Photographer and activist Dan Eldon, whose life and tragic death in Somalia in 1993 inspired a generation and whose spirit of creative activism remains in the spirit and work of Film 4 Change. This exhibit sponsored by the Dan Eldon Center for Creative Activism.

Los Angeles-based artist Gordy Grundy, whose last exhibit BURN showed more than 200 works at Coagula Cultural in downtown LA.

Artist and acclaimed music video director Ace Norton, and more to come.

MUSIC:Rock group Gram Rabbit, hailing from nearby Joshua Tree, will headline the music slate at the festival; the amalgation of psych-rock and electropop comes from foursome Jesika von Rabbit, Rodd Rutherford, Jason Gilbert, and Ethan Allen.

Van’s Warped tour veterans The Miracle Dolls, who will be performing a concert for the Boys and Girls Club of Cathedral City and who will be donating guitars to the kids after the show.

Blues-rock artist Patrick Sweany, who’s been praised by the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna’s Jorma Kaukonen as “the best and I’ve been a fan for a long time. Dig it yourself and tell a friend!"

LA-based The Record Company whose sound was described by Time Out LA as “if John Lee Hooker and the Stooges had a well-behaved love child.”

Lancaster, CA’s Tramps in Stereo

San Diego based Family Wagon, whose work was described as “rock ‘n’ roll in its youngest and purest form” by Random Length News.

The World Premiere of the intense, dark drama MAN IN THE SILO starring Ernie Hudson.

The World Premiere of Sage Seb’s compelling documentary A STROLL THROUGH THE PARK: AN ASHBURY SYMPHONY which follows street artist Shepard Fairey through Ashbury Park during the All Tomorrow’s Party festival and shows the last exhibition of Shepard’s work that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy

The California Premiere of Alex Winter’s critically acclaimed documentary DOWNLOADED telling the story of the rise and fall of Napster.

The 20th Anniversary screening of Richard Linklater’s DAZED AND CONFUSED with attendance by stars Jason London and Anthony Rapp who also have films in the Festival, respectively, AVARICE and JUNCTION.

The California Premieres of Slamdance favorites FYNBOS and JOY DE V, with attendance by JOY DE V’s director Nadia Szold, as well as the electric documentary BATTERY MAN.

A showing of Monte Hellman’s classic western RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND starring and written by Jack Nicholson.

A special “secret screening” of a Dennis Hopper film, which will not be revealed until the screen lights up.

A special series of films sponsored by Creative Visions Foundation, which include the documentaries HAPPY; DYING TO TELL THE STORY; BEYOND THE CALL; GHENGIS BLUES and THE LOST BIRD PROJECT, among others.

The shorts program, which features Slamdance favorites REBEL REBEL REBEL and THE SANDWICH NAZI,

The Arcade Fire short SCENES FROM THE SUBURBS by Spike Jonze, as well as a special screening of the 2013 Academy Award® Winner for Best Live Action Short CURFEW.

MORE:

Additional AMFM programming includes:

A Comedy Showcase with Graham Elwood and Chris Mancini of the Comedy Film Nerds with over 100,000 podcast followers, as well as a surprise comedy guest.

A poetry reading by actor Michael Madsen from his latest collection Expecting Rain.

Daytime pool parties at sponsor hotels including the ACE Hotel and Swim Club, the Curve, Agua Caliente Casino, Resort and Spa with live DJs, giveaways, movie and music related festivities.

A VIP lounge on the second floor mezzanine of the Mary Pickford Theater where they will host a place where Festival VIPs, artists, filmmakers, and musicians can converge to mix and mingle while enjoying the music from DJ Day, DJ Alf Alpha, DJ Joplin, DJ Pedro Bass and more.

Intersection of Art and Film and a Fair Use Panel with Attorney Michael Donaldson of Donaldson and Cahill (author of the Legal Guide to Independent Filmmaking and Clearance and Copyright, among others) and Attorney David Pierce, The Pierce Law Group (THE ARTIST; THE HUNGER GAMES)

Video Game panel with Todd Jefferson, VP of Production, Marvel Games and Matt Scott of Game Machine Studios